Question

Find the synonym of the underlined word-
The police took measures to prevent looting.
a)Signing
b)Espionage
c)Smuggling
d)Escaping
e)Plundering

Answer 1

Hint: A synonym refers to a word that is entirely or nearly the same in meaning to another word. Example- Radiant is a synonym of bright. ‘Looting’ refers to ransacking or raiding goods from a place during the time of war or protests.

Complete answer:
The word ‘looting’ has been derived from the Sanskrit word- Lunth, which means to rob.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word ‘looting’. Now, let’s look at its usage:
Example- The protestors were caught looting the store. Here, we can understand that the protestors were caught ransacking or raiding the store.
In the given question- We can conclude that the police took measures to prevent raiding or plundering.
Now, let’ decipher the meaning of the given options-
Option a- ‘Signing’ refers to the act of writing your name on a document. Example- The witness was attacked while he was signing the documents. ‘Signing’ is different in meaning to looting. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option b- ‘Espionage’ refers to spying or bugging someone to obtain important information. Example- The government planned an act of espionage on the foreigners. ‘Espionage’ is different in meaning to looting. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option c- ‘Smuggling’ refers to the illegal act of importing or exporting goods. Example- The mafia gang was caught smuggling the gold chains. ‘Smuggling’ is different in meaning to looting. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option d- ‘Escaping’ refers to getting away or breaking free from someone’s control. Example- The prisoner was caught escaping the prison. ‘Escaping’ is different in meaning to looting. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option e- ‘Plundering’ refers to looting or robbing goods, especially during the time of war. Example- The soldiers disguised themselves to carry out the act of plundering the shops. ‘Plundering’ is similar in meaning to looting. Hence, it is the correct option.
The correct answer is Option ‘e’.

Note: Do not get confused between the meanings of the different words. Carefully read and understand the meaning of the given word and the context in which it has been used.